Little Tiancai and Little Su Ning only knew what "sister" meant but didn't understand the meaning of "brother-in-law." However, they were both obedient children. When their sister said they couldn't call Lu Zhe "brother" and should call him "brother-in-law" instead, they nodded in agreement.
As Little Tiancai opened his mouth to say "brother-in-law," Su Ci quickly covered his little mouth.
The little one's eyes widened in surprise.
"Keep it down. This is our secret; we can't let others hear it," Su Ci said. No matter how thick-skinned she was, she didn't dare to be so bold with her parents around.
Little Tiancai understood and whispered very softly to Lu Zhe: "Brother-in-law."
Su Ci was quite satisfied.
Little Su Ning followed suit, copying Little Tiancai with his baby voice, whispering: "Brother-in-law."
The young man standing next to Su Ci glanced at them quietly, his ear tips turning red beneath his black hair.
"What are you all doing standing at the doorway?" Su's Mother asked as she sat down with Su's Father, noticing the children still lingering by the door.
Su Ci secretly brushed her fingertips against Lu Zhe's hand that hung by his side, then walked inside with a bright smile.
Lu Zhe lowered his gaze, hiding the amusement in his dark eyes.
There was an electric kettle in the hotel room, but its bottom was covered in limescale. Lu Zhe didn't want to use such a kettle to serve water to Su's parents, so he bought several bottles of mineral water from the hotel.
Originally, the room only had two chairs; the other two were borrowed from Boss Fang.
Su's Father and Mother each took a chair, while Su Ci sat in the chair near the floor-to-ceiling window. The two little ones sat on the bed, their small heads close together, whispering about something.
Lu Zhe walked over and sat down in the chair opposite Su Ci.
Su's Father, being a man who had been through major events, had calmed his initial shock. He carefully observed the young man before him.
Lu Chen, that fellow, was bewitchingly handsome, like a fox spirit always attracting butterflies and bees.
But Lu Zhe's features were proper and dignified, his face stern and rigid. Apart from some slight resemblance to Lu Chen in his features, his eyes and demeanor were completely different.
Su's Father felt conflicted.
"Uncle Su, Aunt Su, please excuse the humble accommodations," the usually cold and composed young man showed hints of nervousness and restraint when facing Su Ci's parents.
Su's Father waved his hand, "We don't care about such things. We came today to thank you for saving our lives. During the fire, you saved me and my wife, and you've also taken care of my daughter before. We are all very grateful. You are Su family's lifesaver. If there's anything you want, just ask."
Setting aside whether Lu Zhe was Lu Chen's son or not, this young man had done great favors for the Su family, and he should properly repay him.
Lu Zhe glanced at Su Ci sitting by the floor-to-ceiling window and shook his head, "Uncle Su, I don't want anything. At the fire scene, I would have helped anyone who was there."
He never expected that the people he saved would turn out to be Su Ci's parents. When he found out, he felt relieved but had no intention of using this to gain favors.
Beside them, Su Ci grew anxious, constantly giving Lu Zhe meaningful looks. If her parents weren't present, she would have kicked Lu Zhe's foot already.
How silly, her family had lots of money, and it would be better to accept some money than nothing at all.
Su's Father had heard from his wife about Lu Zhe's good character, and he could see it himself. This aspect was completely different from Lu Chen, who had a bewitching face, many schemes, and was ruthless. He had suffered several losses at that man's hands.
"You show kindness without seeking reward, but we Su family don't leave debts unpaid." Su's Father looked at Lu Zhe and said frankly, "Don't mind, but when we found Little Ci before, we had people investigate your background and know about your situation."
Lu Zhe listened quietly.
"We know you're an orphan and that you have ALS." Su's Father spoke not with his business negotiation tone, but with the caring voice of an elder to a junior, "We can provide you with the best treatment."
Even though ALS was incurable, at least an excellent medical team could help Lu Zhe slow down the progression of his condition.
Su's Father continued, "And if you want, we can help you find your biological parents."
Although he couldn't be certain whether Lu Zhe was Lu Chen's son, considering Lu Zhe's life-saving grace to the Su family, he could temporarily set aside his animosity toward that fox Lu Chen and investigate whether Lu Zhe was his son.
Hearing this, Lu Zhe shook his head, "Thank you, Uncle Su, Aunt Su, but I don't want to."
Su Ci wasn't surprised to see Lu Zhe refuse her father's offer to find his parents. After all, being abandoned at an orphanage, such parents weren't worth finding. Of course, there might have been some circumstances back then, but after so many years, it didn't matter anymore.
Hearing Lu Zhe's words, Su's Father somehow thought of Lu Chen again. If Lu Zhe really was Lu Chen's son and didn't want to acknowledge his parents, he could at least enjoy watching that fox's predicament.
Su's Mother spoke up, "We understand if you don't want to find your parents, but please don't refuse treatment. We've already contacted the most authoritative experts in this field."
Lu Zhe's thin lips pressed together, and his peripheral vision caught Su Ci before he agreed.
If treatment worked, he hoped to have more time to spend with her.
Su's Mother finally relaxed, after all, this young man seemed to want nothing, making it difficult for them to repay their debt of gratitude.
At this point, Su's Father had people bring up the thank-you gifts prepared in the car, all chosen by Su's Mother. "Please accept these gifts, don't refuse. You saved us, so you deserve them."
"Yes, yes, yes," Su Ci chimed in, her eyes narrowed with a threatening tone, "You're not allowed to refuse."
Lu Zhe's lips curved into a smile, and he didn't reject anymore.
Soon, the already small room was filled with gift boxes and bags.
Su's Mother, being more attentive, smiled and said, "I heard from Ci Ci that you'll be staying in City B. Have you found a place to live? If not, we can provide one for you."
A house meant nothing to the Su family.
Lu Zhe declined, "Thank you, Aunt Su, but I'm already looking for a house and will settle on one soon."
Su's Mother didn't insist, "If you need any help from the Su family, just ask. Regarding the medical treatment, once the specialists arrive, I'll have someone contact you right away."
Ever since her daughter told her about liking Lu Zhe, whether out of personal interest or the desire to repay his kindness, Su's Mother hoped this young man could get better, or at least have his condition managed even if there was no cure.
Lu Zhe: "Thank you."
Su's Father had just been discharged from the hospital yesterday and hadn't fully recovered, so he couldn't sit for long. After chatting casually with Lu Zhe for a while, he prepared to leave.
He still needed to send people to investigate Lu Zhe's background. Even if Lu Zhe didn't want to find his parents, he wanted to know if Lu Zhe was really that fox Lu Chen's son.
Watching her parents and the two little ones walk ahead, Su Ci deliberately slowed her pace.
Until they had walked out, Su Ci remained in the room. She suddenly turned around and reached out with both arms, clinging to Lu Zhe's shoulders.
"Su Ci!" Lu Zhe was startled by the girl's action – her parents had just walked out the door.
"Shh!" Su Ci winked at the young man, "Keep your voice down."
Lu Zhe reminded her, "You should go."
Su Ci's dark eyes flashed mischievously, "Kiss me, and I'll leave quickly."
Looking at the girl practically hanging on him, Lu Zhe realized that not only was she thick-skinned, but she was also quite bold.
He sighed, "If your parents turn back and find you're not there, they'll come looking for you."
Su Ci nodded, "I know, so hurry up." Her eyes held a hint of mischief, "I'm wearing lip gloss today, see how much prettier my lips look?" She had deliberately applied it before going out.
Lu Zhe knew nothing about girls' lipsticks, but his gaze fell on her lips, which did look somewhat different from her usual rosy color.
He responded, "Mm."
Su Ci smiled, "Quick, try it, this lip gloss is peach-flavored, with candy ingredients, it's a bit sweet."
Try what?
The girl was asking him to taste her lips.
Lu Zhe knew the girl's temperament well - if he didn't go along with her whims, she would only become more mischievous.
The young man lowered his chin, and his cold, thin lips landed on the girl's honey-orange lips. Just as he got close, as the girl had said, he caught the sweet scent of peaches, and her lips were even softer than ripe peaches.
Lu Zhe only gave her the lightest touch.
Su Ci wasn't satisfied. "You haven't even tasted it properly," she said, rising on her tiptoes to offer her lips more deliberately.
The sweet fragrance spread between their lips and teeth.
Su Ci was still worried that her parents, who had just left, might turn back and see her. After a brief moment of entanglement with Lu Zhe, she pulled away.
Hearing the young man's slightly heavy breathing beside her ear, Su Ci looked at him with bright eyes. "How was it?"
Her makeup, skincare products, including her lip gloss, were all custom-made at Su's Mother's request. The lip gloss contained only natural ingredients, so it was harmless even if ingested.
Lu Zhe's tongue was filled with the sweet fragrance from her lips. His dark eyes gazed deeply at her, and the coolness in his voice dissipated as he said, "Very nice."
Then, his lips moved close to her ear, his breath warm, "Tuantuan, you should go now."
Su Ci's ear instantly turned soft at his words.
The door closed.
Lu Zhe leaned against the door, steadying his breath. He touched his lips with his fingers and found traces of the girl's honey-orange lip gloss on his fingertips.
Licking the corner of his mouth, Lu Zhe's dark eyes sparkled with amusement. The girl was getting bolder and bolder. One day, he thought, she would cry from her own actions.
After leaving Lu Zhe's room, Su Ci ran into her mother who had come back looking for her.
Su Ci felt a wave of relief - that was close, she had almost been caught in the act.
"Mom," she said.
She smiled and linked arms with her mother, explaining voluntarily, "I had something to discuss with Lu Zhe, so I came out late. I thought you and dad had already left."
After learning about her daughter's feelings for Lu Zhe, how could Su's Mother feel at ease letting her daughter be alone with him?
She looked at her daughter and her sharp eyes noticed that her daughter's lip gloss was completely gone.
If it had been Su's Father, he definitely wouldn't have noticed such a small detail. But Su's Mother was different. As a woman, she naturally paid attention to lip color and makeup details, especially since she had complimented her daughter on her specially chosen lip color earlier that day.
Su's Mother was experienced, and even now, her relationship with her husband remained passionate. How could she not know why her daughter's lip gloss had disappeared?
Looking at her daughter's smiling face, her heart sank a little.
......
Back at the Su residence.
Su's Father said to Su's Mother, "Last time you mentioned that Lu Zhe resembled someone, do you remember?"
Su's Mother sat down beside her husband, "Yes, but I couldn't quite place who it was." She felt she had seen someone like him before.
Su's Father asked her, "Could it be Lu Chen?"
Su's Mother was startled. As her husband mentioned it, she suddenly realized - didn't Lu Zhe's features resemble Lu Chen?
No wonder she thought Lu Zhe looked familiar; he looked just like the head of the Lu family, Lu Chen.
However, their temperaments were completely opposite. Lu Zhe was more cold and calm as a young man, while the Lu family head had a more mercurial personality, which was why she hadn't made the connection between them.
But her husband was different. He and Lu Chen had been rivals since childhood, always at odds with each other.
The saying that enemies know each other best wasn't without reason. Her husband knew Lu Chen well, so he could immediately see that Lu Zhe resembled Lu Chen.
"Lu Zhe is an orphan, and Lu Chen's son was lost at a young age. Could Lu Zhe be Lu Chen's child?" Su's Mother was shocked by the coincidence.
Su's Father nodded, "It's very possible."
Even though he had sent people to investigate, it hadn't yielded any results, especially since Lu Chen had deployed so many people but still couldn't find his child.
"I plan to find out if Lu Zhe is Lu Chen's child," Su's Father told his wife. "The day after tomorrow, Grandpa Qin is hosting a banquet. That fellow Lu Chen has already accepted the invitation, and I plan to attend too."
It didn't matter if the investigation proved fruitless; as long as he could get Lu Chen's hair at the banquet, they could do a paternity test to reveal the truth.
Grandpa Qin's seventieth birthday celebration had invited many prominent families, with the most attention focused on Lu Chen of the Lu family and Su Shengguo of the Su family. Both were leaders of top-tier wealthy families, and given their mutual animosity, their divine battle might provide quite a show for the lesser guests.
Su's Father attended the banquet with Su's Mother. After all these years, both had maintained their good looks, and their bearing was even more distinguished than before.
Even though the Su family was famous for their exceptional looks, the guests still gazed admiringly at Su's Father and Mother, impressed not only by their handsome and beautiful appearance but also by how their love had endured over the years.
Unlike this couple from the Su family, Lu Chen of the Lu family attended the banquet alone.
The years had been kind not only to Su's Father and Mother but to Lu Chen as well.
Time had been particularly generous to this man, leaving no trace on his face. Not only was he handsome, but he also possessed enchanting phoenix eyes. Whether in his youth or now, when people thought of the most bewitching man in City B, they would inevitably think of Lu Chen. In his day, countless women had pursued him relentlessly.
Now, Lu Chen raised an eyebrow, his phoenix eyes twinkling with mockery as he looked at Su's Father, "I heard you nearly died in a fire recently. I thought you'd be lying immobile in a hospital bed, but here you are."
Su's Father didn't back down, "I'm naturally resilient."
Lu Chen's lips twisted, "Indeed, bad weeds are hard to kill."
Su's Father smiled, "Speaking of which, I owe it all to the person who saved me. I think you might be interested in meeting my savior."
"Has the fire addled your brain? Why would I be interested in meeting someone who saved you?" Lu Chen's expression was languid as he sneered, "If I met them, I'd scold them for meddling and saving such a nuisance."
Su's Father: "Even if you wanted to meet them, I might not let you."
Lu Chen raised an eyebrow, "Who cares?"
"You sly fox, you seem rather irritable tonight. Could it be you're envious that I have my wife by my side while you're all alone?" Su's Father knew exactly where to hit Lu Chen's sore spot.
After Lu Chen's son went missing, his relationship with his wife Wen Ya had soured.
Lu Chen, thick-skinned as he was, had once made headlines throughout City B when he knelt in the rain, begging his wife not to divorce him.
They didn't end up divorcing, but after their son's disappearance, Wen Ya remained cold towards Lu Chen. Even though Lu Chen shamelessly pursued his wife, he couldn't win back her affection.
Su's Father never failed to succeed in provoking Lu Chen with this topic.
Sure enough, Lu Chen's face darkened. He snorted heavily and walked past Su's Father, deliberately bumping his shoulder as they passed.
"Shengguo, are you alright?" Su's Mother quickly steadied her husband, exasperated by the childish behavior of Lu Chen and her husband who seemed to fight every time they met.
Su's Father watched Lu Chen walk away triumphantly. He straightened up and said, "I'm fine."
He showed his wife his hand, which held a single hair.
"Got it," he smiled.
"Whose hair?" Su's Mother didn't immediately understand.
"That sly fox Lu Chen's." Earlier, he had been wondering how to get close enough to Lu Chen to obtain his hair, but unexpectedly, the man had bumped into him himself, and his suit sleeve had caught this strand of Lu Chen's hair.
He knew Lu Chen well - the man had severe germaphobia and wouldn't let anyone except his wife get close to him. Therefore, this short hair must be Lu Chen's.
When Su's Mother heard her husband's words, she quickly caught on, "You want to use Lu Chen's hair for a paternity test with Lu Zhe?"
Su's Father stroked his wife's head, "Xin Xin is as clever as ever."
Su's Mother gave him a coquettish glare, "There are many people watching."
Su's Father laughed, "Who would dare to stare?"
Getting just one hair from Lu Chen wasn't enough. He had already arranged for people at the venue to keep an eye on Lu Chen and collect his discarded cigarette butts. Next, they just needed to get Lu Zhe's hair, and then they could proceed with the paternity test.
......
In these two days, Lu Zhe and Boss Fang worked separately - he was responsible for finding an apartment, while Boss Fang focused on securing office space.
This arrangement proved highly efficient. Lu Zhe eventually chose an apartment in a suburban residential complex. Though it was somewhat far from downtown, the environment was pleasant, with well-maintained landscaping throughout the community.
Lu Zhe rented a two-bedroom apartment, while Boss Fang rented the one directly across from him, also a two-bedroom unit. Both apartments belonged to the same landlord and were already fully furnished, having been renovated some time ago.
The apartments came fully equipped with furniture - all they needed to do was bring their suitcases and move in.
Both Lu Zhe and Boss Fang were eager to move in, and the landlord was accommodating. After receiving the deposit and rent, she handed over the keys to them.
The apartment had two bedrooms, one of which had excellent lighting and ventilation.
Lu Zhe wheeled his two large suitcases into the well-lit room. After wiping down the wardrobe, he opened his luggage.
It turned out that the two suitcases that Boss Fang had previously assumed contained all of Lu Zhe's worldly possessions were actually filled with beautiful women's clothing.
Lu Zhe picked up a dress with light, soft fabric and hung it in the wardrobe.
When it came to the undergarments, Lu Zhe's ears turned red. He pressed his lips together as he neatly folded the feminine underwear and placed them in the wardrobe drawer.
His fingertips burned where they touched the soft fabric.
That night, Su Ci video called Lu Zhe, knowing he had moved into his new rental.
"I want to see your new place," Su Ci said, lying on her bed. Learning from her previous experience, she didn't try to tempt Lu Zhe by wearing a low-cut dress this time.
"Wait until I've finished tidying up," he replied, as the room was still somewhat messy.
Su Ci's eyes lit up. "Then can I come over the day after tomorrow?"
Lu Zhe smiled. "Mm-hmm."
Just then, someone knocked on Su Ci's door.
"Hold on, I'll get it," Su Ci said, lazily climbing off her bed with her phone.
Opening the door, she found two little children standing there.
"Sister, this is for you," Little Su Ning held out a plate of sliced peaches.
"Ning Ning is so sweet, thank you," Su Ci patted his head.
Beside him, Little Tiancai also held something - a bowl of washed cherries. "Sister Ci, these are for you."
"Thank you, Little Tiancai," Su Ci patted his head too.
After the two little ones eagerly placed the fruit in Su Ci's room, she crouched down in front of them with her phone, turning the screen toward them. "Come on, say hello to your brother-in-law."
With her parents absent, Su Ci could be mischievous without restraint.
Little Tiancai and Little Su Ning curiously looked at Lu Zhe on the screen. Little Tiancai instinctively called out, "Hello, Brother Lu Zhe."
Little Su Ning corrected him in his baby voice: "Sister said he's brother-in-law."
"That's right, Ning Ning has such a good memory!" Su Ci's eyes curved with her smile as she pinched her brother's chubby cheeks.
He really made his sister proud!
Little Tiancai quickly corrected his mistake and called out loudly, "Hello, brother-in-law!"
Su Ci smiled so widely her eyes became crescents. She turned the screen back to herself. "Lu Zhe, they're calling you brother-in-law. Don't you have anything to say?"
On the other end of the call, Lu Zhe's dark eyes couldn't hide his amusement. He helplessly called out, "Tuantuan."
Su Ci, prioritizing romance over her brothers, sent the two little ones away and returned to lying on her bed to continue chatting with Lu Zhe.
Su's Mother was watching TV downstairs when she saw Little Su Ning and Little Tiancai coming down after completing their mission. She smiled and asked, "Did you give the fruit to your sister?"
"Yes, we did!" Little Su Ning stood proudly.
Little Tiancai nodded as well.
"What was your sister doing?" Su's Mother invited the children to sit beside her.
Little Su Ning answered quickly, "Sister was talking to brother-in-law."
Little Tiancai suddenly realized something and said to Little Su Ning, "We can't tell others that Brother Lu Zhe is brother-in-law. That's our secret with sister."
Hearing the children's innocent words, Su's Mother was startled, her heart sinking once again. She knew she couldn't let this continue any longer.
......
The afternoon sun was fierce, its harsh rays making everyone uncomfortable.
Lu Zhe stood straight under a tree when a white luxury car stopped in front of him. The window lowered, revealing a woman's well-maintained face.
The driver opened the door for Lu Zhe.
"Auntie Su," Lu Zhe sat in the car, politely greeting Su's Mother.
Su's Mother nodded, "The specialist has arrived. I'm taking you to the hospital."
Lu Zhe replied, "Thank you for your trouble."
The car drove smoothly and soon arrived at the city's best hospital.
Su's Mother got out, with Lu Zhe following slightly behind her.
"Before the examination, I'd like to take you somewhere," Su's Mother said to Lu Zhe. "Do you mind?"
Lu Zhe's dark eyes deepened, but he shook his head without asking where. He simply followed behind Su's Mother.
Soon, led by the bodyguard, Su's Mother and Lu Zhe arrived at the inpatient department.
Reaching the fifth floor, Lu Zhe's thin lips tightened as he saw the sign reading "ALS Ward."
This floor housed patients with ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis). Some could only sit in wheelchairs, their bodies atrophied and movement limited. Others could no longer walk, struggling even to breathe and eat, confined to their beds and dependent on nutritional drips to sustain life.
Lu Zhe calmly followed Su's Mother, passing by patient rooms one after another.
Then, Su's Mother spoke: "Lu Zhe, Ci Ci told me she likes you."
She turned to look at the silent young man behind her, her face showing traces of reluctance, but she still asked, "Do you like my daughter?"
